Lapland compared: city or resort
Rovaniemi or Levi? Choosing where to buy in Lapland
Lapland's capital city and its best-known ski resort, side by side: access, prices, rental demand, the new letting rules and what each suits.
Last updated: 30 September 2026 · By Uniikki Ventures Oy
Rovaniemi at a glance
Role
Capital of Lapland, on the Arctic Circle
Airport
Rovaniemi (RVN): over 1.1 million passengers in 2025 (up 18.4%), the first time above one million
Train
Rovaniemi station, with direct trains from Helsinki, including overnight services
Winter tourism
1.1 million overnight stays, November 2024–March 2025, with accommodation revenue of about €130 million
Short-term rentals
3,260 Airbnb listings in December 2025, almost six times as many as four years earlier
Skiing
Ounasvaara: 6 km of slopes, 5 lifts, 135 m vertical, around 200 km of cross-country trails
Best known for
Santa Claus Village, Christmas travel, the northern lights and city services
To Levi
About 2.5 hours by car
Sources: Finavia, Yle, skiresort.com. Figures as published 2025–2026.
How do Rovaniemi and Levi compare?
Rovaniemi is a city with year-round services, the busiest airport in Lapland and lower prices. Levi is a ski resort with far bigger skiing, a long winter season and holiday homes designed for letting.
Rovaniemi
Levi
Type of place
City, year-round residents
Ski resort village
Airport
Rovaniemi: over 1.1 million passengers (2025)
Kittilä: 445,911 passengers (2025), 15 minutes away
Skiing
Ounasvaara: 6 km, 5 lifts, 135 m vertical
38.5 km, 44 slopes, 26 lifts, 335 m vertical
Ski season
Late November to late April (Ounasvaara)
About 220 days, early October to early May
Peak demand
Christmas and December
Christmas, New Year and late winter
Short-term rental market
Very crowded: 3,260 Airbnb listings (Dec 2025)
Established holiday home market
Older apartments, per m²
Around €2,500–€3,700 (central examples)
Around €4,000–€6,000
Best for
A year-round home, city life, Christmas travel
Skiing, a holiday home to use and let
Sources: Finavia, Levi Ski Resort, skiresort.com, Yle, Oikotie (2025–2026).
Life in Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi sits among forested hills where large rivers meet, right on the Arctic Circle. Rebuilt after the Second World War, it's a lively city with cafés, restaurants, shops and museums, its own ski hill at Ounasvaara, and rivers to enjoy in winter and summer.
Winter
Santa Claus Village and its post office, crossing the Arctic Circle, northern lights tours, the blue light of the polar night, skating on forest trails, ice floating and sauna, winter walking trails and campfires in a kota.
Summer and autumn
Walking in the hills with views of the rivers and lakes, mountain biking, berry picking, sauna and swimming, kayaking, canoeing and paddleboarding, and river cruises.
Short-term letting rules: what's changing
A proposed change to Finland's Building Act would limit short-term letting of homes in residential buildings to 90 days a year, which municipalities could raise to 180. It would take effect from 1 January 2027 at the earliest.
The proposal was sent to Parliament on 30 April 2026. Short-term letting means furnished stays of less than 28 days in a row.
Owners would have to keep a record of letting days and show it to the authorities on request.
A separate update to the Housing Companies Act would give housing companies stronger powers to act on repeated disturbances from short-term letting.
It matters most for apartments in ordinary residential buildings, which is much of Rovaniemi's short-term rental market.
Homes in buildings planned and permitted for holiday use, common in resorts like Levi, may be treated differently. Always check the zoning and building permit of any home you plan to let.
This is a summary of a government proposal, not legal advice. Check the current status and take legal advice before buying a home to let.
How much does property cost in Rovaniemi?
Older apartments in central Rovaniemi have recently sold for around €2,500–€2,900 per m², with Oikotie's estimate for one central building at around €3,700 per m². That's lower than Levi, where older holiday homes are listed at around €4,000–€6,000 per m².
Examples from Oikotie building data, 2026. Prices vary widely by building, condition and location. New and holiday-specific properties cost more.
Compare with Levi's prices →Should you buy in Rovaniemi or Levi?
Choose Rovaniemi for a year-round city home, easy flights and lower prices. Choose Levi for skiing, a long winter season and a holiday home designed to be let.
Rovaniemi may suit you if…
— You want a home you can live in or visit all year, with city services
— You want the most flight connections in Lapland
— You want a lower price per m²
— You're comfortable with the proposed letting rules, or don't plan to let short-term
Levi may suit you if…
— Skiing matters to you: 44 slopes and a season of about 220 days
— You want a holiday home designed for both using and letting
— You want a compact resort where guests can walk to the slopes and restaurants
— You want to be 15 minutes from the airport
Both work well. The right choice depends on how you'll use the home, and whether you plan to let it.
Buying property in Finland: the essentials
The same rules apply in Rovaniemi and Levi.
Apartments are usually bought as housing-company shares (1.5% transfer tax on the debt-free price), and detached homes and plots as real property (3% transfer tax). Housing companies explained →
If you plan to let, check the housing company's rules and the proposed letting limits before you buy.
Buyers from outside the EU and EEA may need permission to buy real property, but usually not housing-company shares.
In most sales the seller pays the estate agent's fee.
Looking for a home in Rovaniemi?
Our team and local knowledge are in Levi, so we don't offer viewings, area advice or property management in Rovaniemi. We can introduce you to trusted estate agents who know the city, free of charge.
For Rovaniemi: a free introduction
— Tell us what you're looking for: budget, property type, area and timing
— With your consent, we'll pass your brief to our partner estate agencies: licensed agents (LKV) who work in Rovaniemi and with whom we have a partnership agreement
— The agents contact you directly about homes that match
— Free: we don't charge you, and we don't receive any fee from the agents
Our full services are in Levi
— Viewing & Consultation
— The Levi Visit Weekend
— Independent buyer advice, from the brief to the keys
— Property management, guest care and direct bookings
Uniikki Ventures Oy is not an estate agency. Introductions are made only with your consent, and only to partner agencies with whom we have an agreement. We receive no payment for introductions. The estate agents act for their sellers, so we recommend an independent building inspector and a lawyer for your side of any purchase.
Frequently asked questions
Is Rovaniemi or Levi better for buying property?
It depends on how you'll use it. Rovaniemi suits a year-round city home with easy flights and lower prices. Levi suits a holiday home for skiing and letting, with a season of about 220 days.
Can I rent out an apartment in Rovaniemi on Airbnb?
Currently yes, subject to the housing company's rules. A proposed law would limit short-term letting of homes in residential buildings to 90 days a year (municipalities could allow up to 180), from 1 January 2027 at the earliest. Check the latest position before buying.
How many Airbnb listings are there in Rovaniemi?
About 3,260 in December 2025, almost six times as many as four years earlier, according to data reported by Yle.
Is property cheaper in Rovaniemi than in Levi?
Generally, yes. Older central Rovaniemi apartments have recently sold for around €2,500–€2,900 per m², against around €4,000–€6,000 per m² for older holiday homes in Levi.
How far is Rovaniemi from Levi?
About 2.5 hours by car. Levi's nearest airport is Kittilä, 15 minutes from the resort.
Is there skiing in Rovaniemi?
Yes, at Ounasvaara: 6 km of slopes, 5 lifts and around 200 km of cross-country trails. Levi is much bigger, with 44 slopes and 26 lifts.
Can foreigners buy property in Rovaniemi?
Yes, on the same terms as anywhere in Finland. EU and EEA buyers can buy freely. Buyers from outside the EU and EEA may need permission from the Finnish Ministry of Defence to buy real property, but usually not housing-company shares.
Does Uniikki offer services in Rovaniemi?
Our services are based in Levi. For Rovaniemi, we offer a free introduction to our partner estate agencies in the city. With your consent, we pass on your brief and they contact you directly. We don't charge for this and receive no fee from the agents.
Sources: Finavia, airport statistics 2025 · Yle (Rovaniemi short-term rentals, February 2026; short-term letting proposal, April 2026) · Record winter tourist season for Finnish Lapland (Eye on the Arctic/Yle, April 2025) · skiresort.com (Ounasvaara, Levi) · Levi Ski Resort · Oikotie building data, 2026.
Weighing up Rovaniemi and Levi?
Looking in Rovaniemi? We'll introduce you to our partner estate agents there, free. Leaning towards Levi? The first call is free, and we'll give you an honest view.
+358 45 188 7076 · colin@uniikki.com · Hissitie 10, 99130 Levi, Finland
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